A/N~ This story is for floopdeedoopdee who kindly requested it. The title is from the book A long way Gone by Ishmael Beah.

The low howl from Cerberus was his first indication that nothing was right. Staggering down the darkened alleyway and leaning on the brick wall for support he tried his comms again. "Bravo 7 to all Bravo call signs come in?" He waited a minute which felt like hours before taking a jagged breath and trying again "Bravo 7 to any Bravo element or Havoc base... come in?" The words leaving his mouth were beginning to sound desperate and questioning.

The howl sounded pained. A whimper mixed with a whine. It was a sound he hadn't heard before from the canine and for a split second he wasn't sure it was Cerberus. But then he was sure. The dog was laying on his side tucked into a doorframe. The blood on his coat seemed to be too much for the seventy pound dog.

The light rain must be making it seem like more was his first thought, his second was that Cerb didn't wear boots. Below the blood covered malinois were unmoving legs... human legs. Rushing forward as fast as he could Vic was met with the low growl of a military working dog.

Switching on the strobe on his helmet as a last resort Vic started whispering to himself and the dog. "Cerb is a good boy. Just guarding Brock. I know boy but he's hurt and I wanna help him. Are you hurt too boy?" Vic inched closer hoping Cerb would start to recognize him and not attack but as the dog bared his teeth he prayed that Havoc base would recieve the strobe as a distress call.

Hunched in his heels he continued to try and reason with the dog for what felt like years before the noticed the crackle of comms and realized Brock's were still working, not that he had access to them, or that Brock could respond. He could faintly hear the calls from Havoc and Bravo above the low growling of Cerberus and his own panic. Wondering if his brother was breathing from 5 feet away was beginning to drive him slowly insane.

The only thing Vic could do now was try to calm the dog and pray another member of his team would find them soon. For an instant he considered just shooting Cerberus but the look of fear in the dog's eyes stopped him immediately as he raised his glock. While not human Cerberus was a team member and as desperate as he was to save Brock he knew that the man would never forgive the act. "Please, Cerberus, please let me help him."

As time ticked by Vic began to contemplate whether he was sitting by watching his brother die for the sake of a dog, but maybe Brock was already gone and he was just sitting with a dying dog instead. This thought was his catalyst to action. Even if Brock was already gone his radio was functional and he couldn't abandon the body... because eventually the injured dog would die as well and then both their bodies would be tools for propaganda.

Reaching into his leg pouch Vic found the syringe of morphine. He wished like hell he knew how much to give Cerb but figured about half would knock the dog out without stopping his respirations. He removed the cap and in once movement surged forward and plunged the syringe into Cerb's left hindquarter. As he depressed the medication the dog swung around teeth reaching forward before collapsing back to his previous position.

"I know Boy. I'm sorry buddy." Vic reached his hand forward slowly caressing the good boy's face as a morphine induced haze overtook him.

Once he was sure the dog was thoroughly sedated he pulled him from Brock's lap. Reached forward he felt for a pulse and found a faint one. Vic leaned forward putting his head to Brock's chest. His brother wasn't breathing.

The only place to lay Brock flat was unfortunately in the alley. Unprotected, unguarded, with no sign of help coming Vic pulled at his vest straps until he could lay him next to Cerb. Leaning forward he pinched Brock's nose closed as he tilted his head back and administered a rescue breath. Reaching a hand out he felt Cerb's chest rise as the dog continued to breathe as well. With each breath administered he prayed help would come sooner rather than later. Moving Brock and continuing to breath for him while alone would be impossible. After every third breath he rechecked that his brother's heart was still beating. And it was. Breath after breath it was... until it wasn't.

The stillness under his fingers made him feel as though he was falling, a weight pushing down on him, into hell. Arms straight he started chest compressions. Pumping as hard and fast as he could he thought of a book he had read not that long ago in high school. He could quite remember the quote in it's entirety but he remembered it being about the sky crying. As his breath caught in his own throat tears filled his eyes.